Mountain Yoga Retreat in Andalusia's Sierra de las Nieves

The property is a small hamlet in the Sierra de las Nieves, roughly an hour inland from Málaga and the Costa del Sol coast. The owners, Anthony, Lidiya, Simon, Angel, Dimitri and Azahar, built it themselves from the ground up and have been improving it since 1994, which is why it feels more like a lived-in mountain village than a purpose-built resort. Each of the rooms was painted by hand, and the spring water from the Rio Grande runs through the centre of the site.

Yoga takes place in a 110m² hall with enough space for a full group to spread out, and there are dedicated meditation caves cut into the rock for sitting practice. Outside there is a saltwater pool, a sauna, several terraces, meditation gardens and hammocks. Massage and other therapies are available on site. The surrounding mountains give you marked walking and hiking routes directly from the door, and the wider area is used for painting, writing and photography holidays.

Because the centre hosts different teachers' weeks rather than running one fixed programme, the daily rhythm depends on which retreat you book. A typical day starts with a morning yoga session before breakfast, a second practice later in the day, and meals taken together in the restaurant. Afternoons are usually free for hiking, the pool, treatments or rest. Teachers bring their own styles — some weeks lean towards dynamic vinyasa, others towards restorative or meditation-heavy practice — so it is worth checking the specific event listing before booking.

What separates Molino del Rey from a standard yoga hotel is the setting and the build. The meditation caves, the spring water running through the property, and the fact that the whole place was constructed by hand over three decades give it a character that newer centres do not have. It has been rated by visiting teachers as one of the best yoga retreats in the world, and the guest feedback tends to focus on the same things: the food, the yoga room, the massage treatments and the hosts.

Rooms are en-suite, most with balconies and electric blinds, and all have hot/cold air conditioning, ceiling fans, tea-making facilities, safes and hairdryers. Electric blankets are provided for winter. With a maximum of 20 guest beds, groups stay small and the communal areas never feel crowded. The nearest airport is Málaga, and transfers can be arranged — check with the teacher running your week for the exact details.

What's included

- Accommodation in en-suite rooms (20 guest beds total) - Daily yoga sessions in the 110m² yoga hall - Use of the saltwater pool, sauna, terraces and meditation caves - Meals in the on-site restaurant (confirm exact meal plan with your teacher) - Access to hiking routes from the property - Tea-making facilities in every room - Air conditioning, ceiling fans and hairdryers in every room

What's not included

- Flights to and from Málaga - Airport transfers (confirm with your teacher) - Travel insurance - Massage and spa treatments - Personal expenses - Optional excursions